Latest Ratings

In short: If it wasn't on my doorstep, I'd go a fair distance to do itIn full: I really like this race. It's testing, appropriately hilly, given the name, and (since the route was changed) stays mostly away from main roads. It's well organised, chip timed and the marshals are friendly and supportive. This year you get your pictures for free - much better than a medal or T-shirt.Date of review: December 10, 2013

In short: An enjoyable race, well runIn full: A nice, flat, fast course with enough to look at to take your mind off the pain and some smiling marshalls along the way. The organisation was very good and the posting of results very soon after people crossed the line was excellent.

My thanks to everyone who gave up their time to make the event a success. See you next year.Date of review: June 6, 2011

In short: Well run, well marshalled race.In full: The course was excellent but it was so hard to turn left at 15 miles and carry on for the 21 instead of right for an early finish. What you need in these circumstances is good support and the marshals were top notch.

My thanks to everyone who gave up their time to organise the race. I'll be back if I decide to run another spring marathon.Date of review: March 20, 2011

In short: I love this race!In full: This is my second Plod and I loved it just as much as the first. The course was as hard as nails and the weather a bit manky later on, but the smiles of the marshalls and the support of spectators (and a bunch of very pink clad ladies at Old Winchester Hill) took the mind off the pain. The embroidered gym towel was a nice finisher's treat - much more useful than a T-shirt.

Thanks to the organisers for making this a special race. I was doing this again as a training run for a marathon but I secretly looked forward to it more than I am the marathon itself.Date of review: February 28, 2011

In short: I love this race!In full: It's my third year in this race and every year it's well run by friendly and very capable people. This year was made a bit exciting by the weather - who'd have thought that the road from the A31 to Compton would be a skating rink?

Well done to the organisers for getting it right yet again. See you next year.Date of review: December 13, 2010

In short: Shorter than last time but somehow harderIn full: This is my second Wildman. Last time was 12k/20k/6k ad that hurt enough. This event was 10k/20k/5k so I thought it might be a bit easier. If anyting, the running course was evil in places, particularly the short, steep descent and climb at around 1k.

The mountain bike lap was probably 50% different to last time. It was fast and flowing in places but also used some of the bits you would never wish to ride a bike on.

In total, an excellent event by excellent people and very enjoyable. See you next year.Date of review: November 20, 2010

In short: Good race but needs a couple of things to make it perfectIn full: I ran the 10k.

In summary, a good but trying race (it goes straight up the side of the Hog's Back and through some very sandy sections) with brilliant views in places. Everybody was friendly, the marshalls were excellent and really encouraging, there was a great atmosphere and it went mostly very smoothly.

Car parking was a problem - there was a queue back to Stakescorner Road at 9:25 so plenty of people had left it late to arrive as it was cold. I left the car in Stakecorner and ran to the start area as a warm up.

Number collection was also slow at this time but I was surprised not to receive my number through the post. When I saw the huge and very expensive looking chips, I understood why. Cheap, lace on, plastic card style chips can be posted along with the number and would save a lot of on-the-day work.

The start area was a bit of a mess. The warm up man was positioned in front of the start so that those at the front were the people who had mostly participated in the warm up, not the fastest runners. There also wasn't a start lane meaning that a crowd of runners in a fan shape were trying to squeeze through the start gate.

Lastly, the finish lane was too narrow so that 10k runners, trying to sprint finish, were almost colliding with fun runners jogging their last few yards.

All of the above isn't criticism. The race was really good and very well run. They're just comments that I hope will go a little way to making the race even better next year.

Thanks to all who gave up their time to organise a great event.Date of review: November 8, 2010

In short: Perfect - don't change anything!In full: An excellent race on a challenging (but not masochistic) and picturesque course with lovely people marshalling in fancy dress and hallowe'en themed stuff all around the course.

I loved it. Will definitely be back if you're running the race next year.Date of review: November 1, 2010

In short: The best big half-marathon I've doneIn full: Good stuff: lots of friendly marshals giving lots of encouragement, an excellent course, a brilliant Mizuno shirt through the post with gorgeous graphics, very clear instructions and a nice wooden medal at the end. Oh, and lots of freebie food along the way and at the end.

A few suggestions:There were urinals for men but it wasn't obvious - can they be better sited and signed?Could the charities tent be a long, open-fronted one so that each charity gets to display its banners and can be seen from some distance away?And could the finish be reorganised so that runner goes through lane, receives medal, gives up chip, gets lots of lovely food? I heard stories of runners being able to leave the area but missing getting their medal.

But thanks for an excellent event and for the support of the marshals.Date of review: October 13, 2010